MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
Since its founding in 1920 in Hiroshima, Mazda Motor Corporation has been growing together with local communities with the support of local residents. Among the values and standards, we have fostered and upheld over the 102-year history in 2022, there are three key principles that we have adopted as core values in the formulation of the Value Creation Process.
- -To gain Deeper Insight into People
- -Co-Creation with Others
- -Endless Challenges
The first core principle is to gain Deeper Insight into People. This principle is the cornerstone of Mazda’s Human-Centered philosophy and is based on a firm belief in human ability and efforts to bring out the maximum potential of humans. At the same time, it also implies the Company’s expectation for all employees to deepen mutual understanding and build relationships of mutual trust, while autonomously fulfilling their own tasks. No matter how far IT progress, people are the creators of value and the implementers of improvement. Human resources are Mazda’s most valuable asset. Based on this view, we will continue to support autonomy and performance of all employees by promoting open and frank dialogs with them, reinforcing human capital development through the effective use of digital and other educational means, and maintaining a virtuous cycle of growth, employment, and distribution of wealth. I truly hope that all of our employees, in addition to performing their own work tasks, will do their utmost to deepen mutual understanding and build relationships of mutual trust with our suppliers, dealers, and other business partners.
The second principle is our vision of Co-Creation with Others. It is essential that we co-create with our business partners and other stakeholders in setting common objectives and goals, preparing concrete action plans, and carrying these plans out through joint efforts. This applies not only to tasks and projects outside the Company, but also to everyday business within the Company. We have inherited this view from Tsuneji Matsuda, the third president, who said that our partner factories are our “brothers.”
The third principle is the motto Endless Challenges. This was the spirit that drove Mazda’s engineers as they strove to commercialize the rotary engine and overcome various difficulties under the leadership of Kenichi Yamamoto, the sixth president. At Mazda, this Endless Challenges has been a hallmark not only of employees engaged in manufacturing but all Mazda employees, who in the course of their work face various challenges.
As we look back at Mazda’s history and review the three core principles, we are constantly reminded of the tremendous support we receive from all our customers and all stakeholders. I believe that my mission as president is to continue to develop Mazda in the next century by continuing to value and strengthen our relationships with all stakeholders.
In the course of creating the next century of our corporate history, we have been implementing our philosophy of brand value management. In line with this, we are striving to build emotional ties with our customers and other stakeholders who resonate and empathize with the values the Mazda brand offers, and to raise corporate value through the enhancement of Mazda’s brand value. In implementing brand value management, it is essential to create value unique to Mazda based on Mazda’s traditional values and offering new value in the form of products and services.
What, then, does “value unique to Mazda” mean? It is value derived from the Human-Centered philosophy Mazda pursues in all areas. We will continue to explore our stakeholders’ interests, deepen our understanding of their needs, and create original value that we can offer them in the form of products, technologies, and services, all the time adhering to our Human-Centered philosophy.
In Engineering and Manufacturing, we have continued to produce technologies and cars that offer Joy of Driving, which includes exhilarating and captivating driving experiences. Joy of Driving is not just about driving vehicles at a high speed or with impressive engine power; it is also about ensuring that drivers can maneuver their vehicles at will and feel the joy of driving free of concerns. It is also about giving passengers a pleasant ride. To allow drivers and passengers alike to enjoy Joy of Driving, Mazda will continue to study human beings from the perspective of our human-centered development philosophy.
To Create Human Connections, we will promote digital transformation in our sales and service channels. In addition to using information provided by customers, we will gain in-depth knowledge of customers’ individual vehicles and how they are used, so that we can properly respond to their demands and resolve problems in a timely manner. Through these endeavors, we hope to improve the convenience of vehicles and further enrich our customers’ car lives.
In line with the Medium-Term Management Plan, we will continue to implement brand value management and Human-Centered philosophy, which plays a key role in Mazda’s unique design and engineering. In adopting this approach, we understand that we must demonstrate our commitment to resolving social issues, an aspiration which is shared by our customers and other stakeholders.
Today, the automotive industry has an even greater responsibility to promote initiatives to solve social and global issues that have become the daily concerns of people. Automotive manufacturers must play a leading role in addressing climate change and realizing a carbon neutral society in particular. Building an automotive society that offers safety and peace of mind in response to the rapid motorization in emerging countries and the aging of the population in developed countries is also one of Mazda’s missions.
To address these social and global issues, Mazda will continue to develop new technologies and build appropriate frameworks and infrastructures together with its business partners and other stakeholders who share the same aspirations and the Company’s vision of co-creation and coexistence. At the same time, through new investment we will actively promote various initiatives to help resolve social issues and projects to develop relevant technologies.
Since its founding in 1920, Mazda has consistently worked to vitalize and enrich peoples’ lives and society by providing vehicles and other products as well as services to customers. Mazda will continue to offer vehicles and technologies that contribute to Creating Moving Experiences that serve to Uplift and Energize People, Bringing More Enjoyment to Everyday Life.
With the understanding that the current unclear and uncertain environment may continue for some time, Mazda will take initiatives to resolve social issues step by step. Focusing on its Human-Centered philosophy, we will continue to promote brand value management as we strive to co-create new value with stakeholders.
December 2022
Representative Director, President and CEO
Mazda Motor Corporation